Alienation

The theme of alienation is mentioned in the notes as a theme the writer herself was fascinated by and wanted to write about. The writer could not have found a better historical figure to write about when writing about alienation. Alienation is the sense of being separated from those around you. Not only is Harriet Hemings separated from those around her because of her role in the plantation household as a slave, but Harriet is also separated from the other slaves because of her pale skin and her preferential treatment from the master. Most of the slaves work hard in the fields, in the carpentry shops, the weaver's cottage or the house itself. However, Harriet is only expected to work a few hours in the weaver's cottage each day, and then she is free to spend the rest of the day studying or playing.

The larger sense of...